3 potential late-round gems for the Redskins to target
The Redskins need to add some depth and upside at the tackle position. However, they spent a third-round pick on Geron Christian last year, so they may be content to give him a chance to operate as the swing tackle this year. Christian didn’t look good as a rookie, but if he adds more strength, he could fill that role just fine.
Still, after losing Ty Nsekhe, the Redskins have no depth beyond Christian (and Christian is spotty at best). The team will need to add a fourth tackle to the roster, and they should look to grab a player with some upside late in the draft. If they do that, William Sweet is a player that they could consider.
Sweet has a sold 6-6, 313-pound frame and had a decent showing at the combine. He has enough length needed to find success at the NFL level and while he isn’t anything more than an average athlete, he won’t need to be more than that to find success in the NFL. He will just have to focus more on becoming a strength-based player who wins with his technique. That may be difficult for him to do, but it remains possible.
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That said, there’s a reason that Sweet may fall deep into the third day of the draft, and maybe to the ranks of the undrafted. Sweet’s biggest issue is his lack of movement skills. He simply doesn’t move well in space, which is a major issue, especially for a player at tackle. He did suffer an ACL injury in 2017, so perhaps the lingering effects impacted him last year. But, if Sweet ever wants to become a quality starter, he will need to show an ability to move and sharpen up his mediocre technique.
Sweet will probably be on the board in the sixth/seventh round, and the Redskins should consider drafting him if he is available. He has potential and as a late-round pick, he could be given a year to develop as the fourth tackle or spend some time on the practice squad. The opportunity cost of landing him is low, and given his natural length and size, he’s worth a pick.
Another late-round offensive line option could be Texas A&M’s Keaton Sutherland, who played guard in college. Sutherland played well in the East-West Shrine Game, and could help provide depth at the team’s troublesome guard spot.